Hebrews
Published: Spring 2024
Description
Historically, Hebrews is thought of as a letter from Paul, and it is therefore grouped with his other letters in the New Testament. However, Paul’s authorship has been questioned since the third century. Equally mysterious is the audience of this document. Hebrews does not follow the form of an early Christian letter; the author calls it a “word of exhortation.” To our ear, it sounds like a homily or collection of homilies.
Hebrews contains a rich message regarding the significance of Jesus’ life and death. This writing style is not familiar to twenty-first-century readers, so some study and discernment are required to “mine the gold.” This study aims to help the learner reflect on each of the letter’s distinctive claims, to understand the context in which they were originally presented, and to reflect on the application of their understanding to a Christian life today.
Course Takeaways
- Delve into the portrayal of Jesus as the exalted and incarnate Son in Hebrews, uncovering the significance of his identity and role in Christian theology.
- Examine the connections between Moses, the promised rest, and Jesus as the High Priest, reflecting on their implications for Christian faith and practice.
- Investigate the enigmatic figure of Melchizedek and the concept of the New Covenant, discerning their relevance in understanding Hebrews' theological framework and its implications for Christian living.
Meet the Instructors
Professor Attridge, dean of Yale Divinity School from 2002 to 2012, has made scholarly contributions to New Testament exegesis and to the study of Hellenistic Judaism and the history of the early Church. His publications include Essays on John and Hebrews, Hebrews: A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, First-Century Cynicism in the Epistles of Heraclitus, The Interpretation of Biblical History in the Antiquitates Judaicae of Flavius Josephus, Nag Hammadi Codex I: The Jung Codex, and The Acts of Thomas, as well as numerous book chapters and articles in scholarly journals. He has edited twelve books, including, with Gabriella Gelardini, Hebrews in Context (2016), with Dale Martin and Jurgen Zangenberg, Religion, Ethnicity and Identity in Ancient Galilee; and the centennial Terry Lectures, The Religion and Science Debate: Why Does It Continue? Professor Attridge served the general editor of the HarperCollins Study Bible Revised Edition (2006). He has been an editorial board member of Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Harvard Theological Review, Journal of Biblical Literature, Novum Testamentum, and the Hermeneia commentary series. He has been active in the Society of Biblical Literature and served as president of the society in 2001 and in the Catholic Biblical Association, of which he was president in 2011-12. He was elected to be a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2015. Professor Attridge is a fellow of Saybrook College.
Biography
A graduate of Swarthmore College and Yale University, Prof. Bartlett was the author of numerous publications including Fact and Faith, The Shape of Scriptural Authority, Between the Bible and the Church, and What’s Good About This News? Preaching from the Gospels and Galatians, among others. He was also the co-editor of the Westminster Bible Companion and Feasting on the Word commentary series. An ordained minister in the American Baptist Churches, USA, Prof. Bartlett served as the Senior Minister for congregations in Minnesota, Illinois, and California.
An ordained minister in the American Baptist Churches, USA, Bartlett served as the senior minister of congregations in Minnesota, Illinois, and California. From 1990 to 2005, Bartlett served at YDS on the faculty as well in administrative roles including Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Dean of Academic Affairs. Bartlett published numerous books and scholarly articles. His books include such notable works as Ministry in the New Testament (Fortress-Augsburg, 1993), Romans: Westminster Bible Companion (Westminister/John Knock, 1995), and Between the Bible and the Church (Abingdon, 1999). Bartlett delivered the 2001 Beecher Lectures, entitled “What’s Good About the News?” published as What’s Good About This News?: Preaching from the Gospels and Galatians (Westminster John Knox Press, 2003.). Dr. Bartlett died in 2017.
Biography
